Fluorinated polymer compositions are used in the preparation of a wide variety of surface treatment materials to provide surface effects to substrates. Many such compositions are fluorinated acrylate polymers or copolymers which contain predominantly eight or more carbons in the perfluoroalkyl chain to provide the desired properties. Honda, et al., in Macromolecules, 2005, 38, 5699-5705 teach that for perfluoroalkyl chains of greater than 8 carbons, orientation of the perfluoroalkyl groups, designated Rf groups, is maintained in a parallel configuration while for such chains having 6 or less carbons, reorientation occurs. This reorientation is recited to decrease surface properties such as contact angle. Thus, polymers containing shorter perfluoroalkyl chains have traditionally not been commercially successful.
Fluoroalkyl (meth)acrylate copolymers have been used in aqueous emulsions as in textile fabric treatment processes to provide coatings which impart desirable properties such as high levels of water-, alcohol-, and oil repellency to the fabrics. Aqueous emulsions of such fluoroalkyl (meth)acrylates copolymers, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,344,903 require an additional heat-cure step after application in order to impart the desired repellency traits to the fibers.